Of Puberty and Stubborn Idiots
by OlyveTheOctoPus
Summary: Jimmy comes back after a year at another school. And he's gone through puberty. Cindy-centric. One-Shot AU


**Story: Of Puberty and Stubborn Idiots  
Pairing: Cindy/Jimmy (Jindy? haha I like that name!)  
Rating: Rated Mid T because of a few foul words.  
Summary: ****Remember when you had that childhood crush and you fought with him/her all the time? And then all of a sudden, you're both grown up and you see each other again, and you're so tongue tied because all this time you realized you liked them? Yeah. This is one of _those_ stories.**  


**Sooooo... I got this idea after I watched the movie again... and I couldn't help but write it XD. I really should be working on my other stories though hahaha.**

** This was a rough experiment with first person present POV. I'd say it came out relatively nicely, though it definitely isn't a tense I'll ever use again -_-**

**This was written in 35 minutes, thus, expect poor quality haha! Enjoy!**

**A/N: I've never actually seen the cartoon and have only seen the movie version, so all character attributes pertain to the movie portrayals. So, this is basically AU?  
**

**This story is best read aloud in solitude, goofily imitating voices while nursing a cup of chai.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Jimmy Neutron and am merely using all characters for my and your personal enjoyment.**

* * *

Maybe I'm crazy. Maybe I'm delusional, but there can be no way I'm excited for this particular day of school.

No. Way.

Except I am.

I'm so insanely excited it's hard to keep my head levelled! But Libby's looking at me like I'm high off drugs or purple flurp or something. I gotta chill. Stop bouncing on my toes and stop being so jittery.

Keep a cool head Cindy. Like Mum taught you.

So I'll put on this fake aura of aloofness and get my school stuff together, and hopefully Libby won't ask on the way to school. I'm glad we don't have to take the bus to school anymore. That way, she can't see the excitement on my face. I can only hope she can't hear my heart beating madly against my chest. It's so loud I can hear it over the roar of the engine and the honks of the other cars. I'm so excited I don't even care that Libby is about to kill us all with her reckless driving. (I mean seriously? Does she follow any of the street laws? That's a frickin red light!) I'm so excited that I even missed a program this morning on the future of intergalactic space travel. But then again. It's not like I didn't know information about that already anyway. Cuz I'm Cindy Vortex. And I know everything.

Why am I excited?

Well, don't tell anyone why, but Nerdtron is coming back!

Yes, _that_ Nerdtron. James Isaac Neutron, my rival, arguably my equal, and my best guy friend in the whole world... sort of.

Last year, he got accepted to this amazing science program. It was to attend a science school on a yacht for a year. He left sophomore year. I hadn't heard from or talked to him since last summer. But now, he's back for junior year! It's gonna be great! Finally an enemy worth battling for title of the smartest. Many a challenger hath made themselves known and fought for the title, but all hath lost against the great Cynthia Vortex. And now I've got my rival back.

I can barely contain my excitement! Libby found a parking (after nearly running over an old lady... I swear, I will never understand how that girl got her motorcycle license) and it's only a matter of time before my rival makes himself known.

"Isn't today the day Jimmy comes back, Cindy?"

She's got this calculating look on her face, gotta play it cool. "Nerdtron's coming back, huh? Betcha his head's the only part of his body that went through puberty."

Libby's giving me _this_ _look_ again as if she knows I'm faking it. Whatever. She can think what she wants to think. I'm just happy to get my rival back. Nothing more, nothing less...

I mean, I'm pretty sure that's why I'm so excited. There's nothing better than the passion and thrill and adrenaline I get just from having an intellectual battle of wits and smarts against that kid! Sure, he's kind of cute, but it's not like I have any romantic feelings for him. Psh. And the only reason I went over to his house waaaay early this morning was just to say hi to his parents. I wasn't seeking him out or anything. And I wasn't pissed off that he spent the night at Carl's.

"Mmmhmm... Whateva Cindy. I can see right through you."

"Let's just get to homeroom!"

"Why are you in such a rush, Cindy? Eager to see your little nerd?"

I'm gonna ignore her. She can insinuate all she wants, but I know the truth. The truth is that he's just my rival. The truth is that we're not compatible. The truth is that he's a scrawny, short, skinny, big-headed little nerd, and I'll never–

...

Holy shit.

_Holy shit._

"Whoa Momma..." I can hear Libby behind me, but I can't turn around or respond.

Whoa Momma is right.

I can't believe what I'm seeing? Is that...

"_Jimmy_?!" Libby exclaims. "What the hell?! Is that you?"

Yupp... That's definitely him alright. I'd recognize those beautiful blue eyes anywhere.

But nothing else.

Is this really the Jimmy I knew? He's tall! Taller than me for goodness sake! And his head! It's proportional! He's smiling at me. Oh God... Am I blushing?! Keep it together Cindy. C'mon girl. Don't act like an idiot! This is Jimmy. Remember? He's NOT cute. His shaggy hair is NOT sexy. He is NOT attractive.

"Cindy. It's good to see you."

Holy crap in a bucket! His voice. Did his balls drop like a meter or something? Wait... don't answer that. Don't look at his crotch! God Cindy! What the hell is wrong with you?! Why is Libby looking at me strangely? Oh. Right. I should probably close my mouth.

"Wow Nerdtron. Finally decided to stop hiding with your tail between your legs and face me again? I'm surprised your head shrunk to a proportional size. What'd you do? Squeeze all that extra air out?"

Why the fuck did those words just come out of my mouth?! Libby's giving me that look again. Will she cut it out? Geez! I'm trying to keep it together here!

"Same old Cindy, huh?"

He's laughing and it takes my entire being not to melt into the ground. Help me somebody. I think I'm drowning. In his eyes...

"We should hang out tonight. For old times sake."

"I-I can't. I've got... that... um... thing—"

Libby rolls her eyes and shoves me aside, "Cindy and I were going to a karate class tonight."

Thank you for lying for me Libby. You're the best.

"Maybe some other time then?"

He waves and turns around to talk to other students who are greeting him. Why is it so easy for everyone else to talk to him but me? Just when I think I'm off the hook, Libby turns around and glares at me.

"_We_. Need to talk."

I laugh it off, "About what? There's nothing to talk about."

Only I wish there was nothing to talk about.

~.~.~

For the first time in twelve years, I've gotten distracted in a science class. It doesn't help that Jimmy's in my class and sits RIGHT. NEXT. TO. ME. I wouldn't have gotten so distracted if he wasn't at my lab desk. And if he hadn't asked me for a pencil. And if he hadn't stared at me when I dropped it on the ground and then bumped my head. Does he think this is amusing?

"You okay there Cindy? You look a little distracted."

Ya think you mongrel?

"I'm fine." I thrust the pencil in his direction, "Just take the damn pencil already."

And he does and the asshole has the nerve to brush my fingers with his own! Does he get kicks out of making me blush?!

"Miss Vortex! If you are done flirting with Mr. Neutron now, can you please answer my question?"

I want to die. I want to crawl into a hole and die! Why does everyone in the class think it's so funny? Even he's laughing! God... could my face get any more red?! Neutron is screwing with my brain cells!

~.~.~

"So... You wanna tell me why you're acting like a tittering idiot in front of Neutron, whom, up to this point, you have claimed you hated with a burning, fiery, flaming passion stronger and hotter than even the heat waves given off by the sun?"

"I-I never said I _hated_ him."

"So then you admit you like him?"

"I'm not admitting anything Libby!" She's got this infuriating smirk on her face once again. "He's just Jimmy The Dork. I could care less that he's back."

"Is that why you spent all English class ogling him?"

"I was not!"

"You were too! You were drooling and everything! Look Cindy. I know you've liked him since we were kids, so why don't you just tell him now before it's too late and someone else gets him? He's pretty good looking, even I gotta admit that, _especially _ now that he's gone through puberty. But he's not gonna stay single forever."

I know she's right. I should probably tell him now, but I'm scared. What if he rejects me? OR what if I make a fool of myself and embarrass myself in front of him?

~.~.~

I gather up my courage and approach his locker, hoping so _badly_ that no one is there to watch me make a fool of myself, because I am absolutely, one hundred percent positive that I will make a fool of myself.

Sure, I should be uplifting myself and giving myself confidence, right? But I can't. He's just so... so... _fucking gorgeous_. And cool. And I'm Cindy Vortex... Bitch extra_-ordinary_.

Nick Dean is good looking and all. But my heart has never beat as fast looking at him as when I'm looking at Neutron.

And that scares me.

Urgh! Why are there so many people around his locker? Why are there so many girls?! Why does he look so happy to talk to them?!

Why do I feel like I want to cry...?

I bet he's already got a girlfriend. Libby was right. I probably missed my chance already.

I'm just gonna duck my head and get out of here as fast as I can. Hopefully, he didn't see me. He probably didn't notice me anyway. Not when he's surrounded by all those stupid, much prettier and much nicer girls.

~.~.~

I'm sitting on the roof of my house, overlooking the nifty drive-in theater downtown, trying to clear my thoughts. They're playing the Notebook.

Yuck.

Of all the sappy, over-the-top, saccharine, mushy, lovey-dovey movies to play, they chose that one? Why couldn't they play something more upbeat?! Something that can take my mind off of frickin school?

Because The Notebook makes me think of romance. Romance makes me think of love. Love makes me think of crushes. Crushes makes me think of...

Holy crap...

I think I understand it now.

I get it. I get it totally.

_I have a crush on Jimmy?!_

And speak of the devil, here he is now. On my roof. Sitting next to me with that oh so gorgeous smile on his face. Keep it together Cindy. C'mon girl. Don't turn red. Even if he does smell really good.

"It's been a while since I came up here."

We used to have this tradition where we would watch some of the more scientific films of the theater on my roof back at the start of high school. Only back then, I wasn't as scared to be left alone with him. Was I...? I mean, I always was to a certain extent, but now I'm just plain nervous. Maybe it's because he looks so cool. He's probably way too cool for me... Way too cool to be interested in hanging out with someone like me.

"What are they playing this time?"

"The Notebook." I'm curled up into this ball, and I kind of just want to hide because I was trying to take my mind _off_ of thoughts about him, but now the idiot is sitting right next to me and I can't think about anything else _but_ him!

"Of all movies, they chose to play that one?"

"That's exactly what I said! Last year, they spent all of February playing only mushy romantic movies. I think I lost a couple brain cells after that month."

"Yeah?"

He's laughing, and he just looks so cute and at peace, and I feel myself smiling back. Maybe it won't be so hard to act normal around him again.

Until he opens his mouth again, that is.

"I really missed spending time watching movies with you like this."

And now I'm a tittering blushing mess again! Why the hell did he say that?! Does he not realize he's turning me into flippin' goop next to him? I can't take it anymore.

"Jimmy. You've changed. What happened to you?"

He shrugs, "I grew up. Does it bother you?"

I shrug too. It _does_ bother me. But not in the way he's probably thinking, "Not really."

I guess that was the wrong answer though, because now he's looking me straight in the eye incredulously as if he knows that I'm lying.

"Then why haven't you been able to look me in the eye since I got back?"

Does he know? My face is probably on fire. I just can't keep eye contact.

So I look away again.

What am I supposed to do? I'm scared. I'm so scared and I don't know why and I don't know what I'm doing. Can't he just leave me alone?!

"Cindy—"

"I just want to go back to the way everything was before!" I blurt out, firetruck red. "You're supposed to be the small nerd who I pick on! You're supposed to have a big head and weird hair! We're supposed to be able to argue and talk! I'm not supposed to be shy around you! I'm not supposed to blush whenever you smile! I'm not supposed to like—"

But I never finish... because he's kissing me.

Jimmy Neutron is kissing me.

_Me. _

Cindy Vortex.

What's happening to me...

There's no way... I can like this as much as I do.

And then he just pulls away and stares at me like I'm the only one in his world.

My head is spinning. I think I'm gonna pass out. How can he just stand there and smile that adorkable, dazzling smile at me like nothing momentous just happened?! I can't believe it. Why do I feel the urge to punch him in his nuts?! But why do I also want to grab him and kiss him like there's no tomorrow?

"Jimmy... why?"

"Because I like you Cindy. It isn't rocket science."

"You've been gone a whole year, Nerdtron. How can you still like me after a year?"

"I may have been gone a whole year, but you never left my mind." How is he able to say everything so nonchalantly? He's a lot different from the stumbling, blushing idiot he used to be in the past.

"But I pick on you all the time! And I'm a bitch to you, and I always fight with you!"

And he puts his finger on my mouth to shut me up. It works.

"I want to be with _you_ Cindy. I just put all the variables together and realized I always had. Since I was a kid even."

Le shock!

"Are you trying to ask me to be your girlfriend?"

"Is it working?"

Is it? I mean... yes, it _is_ working. I just don't know what to do. What _are_ we supposed to do? Change everything about our personalities? Act all lovey-dovey? Cuz that's not me. I like our intellectual conversations. I like being his rival. I like making fun of him. I don't want to give up our friendship just like that.

"Jimmy... look. It's not that I don't like you." Why is my face already burning?! "I just... I don't want to change everything about us. You're my best guy friend. You understand me. What if we break up and everything gets ruined?"

"Who says we have to change? Cindy, we'll always be the same. You'll always call me out when you think you're right—"

"You mean when I _am_ right?"

"—and I'll retaliate. Yeah, we'll be a couple, but I'll still be the same nerdy me, Cindy. And you'll still be the same insufferable you. I really like you. Take a chance with me? With us?"

When did he become so suave? I'm so sure my face is tomato red by now. But oh what the hell. I like him. He likes me. Maybe I should just go for it. I'd rather that than spend my whole life wishing I had said yes.

"Okay. Okay Jimmy. Let's give 'Jindy' a try. But I warn you. If you piss me off, I'm not afraid to kick your ass!"

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Cindy."

And so I kiss him.

~.~.~

Cindy told me she didn't need a ride to school today because she has one. Probably Jimmy. If she thinks she can hide this from me, she's got another think coming. I'm her best friend, I can read her like a book. Twenty bucks says she's with him. And they're together. I'd like some cash. Where's that sucka, Sheen?

"Hey, twenty bucks says Jimmy and Cindy are dating."

"Jimmy and Cindy? No way! That's almost like saying UltraLord doesn't exist! You're on."

Well here comes Miss Vortex now... holding hands with Neutron. Triumph.

"Pay up Sheen. I'll be taking that twenty now."

I'm glad Cindy has finally gotten her man. Now she'll stop bugging me about my driving all the time cuz she won't be riding with me anymore. I'm just glad they finally got together after all these years. Yeesh. Talk about two stubborn idiots.

* * *

**I have nothing against The Notebook (please put away the torches and pitchforks ._.lll). I just feel it's something the two of them wouldn't like themselves.**

**I hope you enjoyed :)**


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